Paper-feeding machine.



No. 803,582. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905. B. GUSTAFSDN,

PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHBET l.

i a Mr I m PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

ITO-803,582.

B. GUTAFSON. PAPER FEEDING MAOHINE.

APPLIOATIOI FILED AUG. 3, 19Q4.

2 BEEETBSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNHARD GUSTAFSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED PRINTING MACHINERY COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1905.

Application filed August 3, 1904:. Serial No, 219,260.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNHARD GUsTAFsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvementin Paper- Feeding Machines, of which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in paper-feeding machines, and inparticular to means for feeding the pile of sheets to the feeding-table.

The invention is particularly designed for use in connection with thepaper-feeding apparatus shown and described in Patents No. 748,279,granted December 29, 1903, and No. 750A53, granted January 26, 1904., toE. J. Hallberg, and to some extent it is illustrated herein inconnection with such an apparatus; but the invention is equallyapplicable to other forms of paper-feeding apparatus.

It is generally considered a desideratum in paper-feeding machinerywhere paper is fed in the form of sheets to obtain a continuous orpractically continuous supply of sheets to the table from which thesheets are fed in order that the printing-press or other machine may bekept in constant operation and no time lost by stoppages of the machinefor the purpose of replenishing the supply of sheets of paper.

Heretofore in that class of devices known as pile-feeders, wherein thesheets are placed in a tall pile which is fed upwardly into the plane ofthe table from which the sheets are fed, it has been necessary when thepile has become exhausted or practically exhausted to stop the machineand lower the pile-carrying platform and then place thereon a newpilesupply.

It is the object of this invention in particular to make use of theprinciple of the pilefeeder and-at the same time secure a continuousfeed or supply of sheets to the table from which the sheets are fed. Bymaking use of the pile-feeder principle the smallest possible space isutilized, for the pile-feeder can and must necessarily be placeddirectly beneath the table from which the sheets are fed, and hence ittakes up no additional floor-space over that occupied by the originalmachine. Furthermore, the pile of sheets can be replenished from thefloor or platform upon which the main machine rests, which issimplestand easiest for the workman and renders unnecessary any liftingor elevating of the sheets to an overhead table, as is usual andnecessary in connection with the continuous-feed machines now in commonuse.

The drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, showing thepile-feeder set up in connection with the end of a printingpress frameand associated with a sheet-feeding apparatus, such as shown anddescribed in the two patents to Hallberg above referred to.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrate the pilefeeder in, side elevation.The end of an ordinary printing-press frame is also shown in sideelevation, and above the pile-feeder is shown a sheet-feeding apparatusin side elevation, such as shown in the two patents to I-Iallberg abovereferred to. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown inFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partially in cross-section and on asomewhat larger scale, of the upper portion of the apparatus shown inFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5is a plan view of a portion of the grid to be described, and Figs. 6 and7 represent a modified construction of guiding device hereinafterdescribed.

A represents the rear portion of an ordinary printing-press frame.

B represents the table from which the sheets of paper are fed andcorresponds to the table shown in Patents Nos. 750A53 and 748,279,except that herein it is shown with its central portion removed or cutaway to allow the pile of sheets to pass up through and protrude abovethe table.

O represents the comb-wheel, D the presser, E the parallelogram frame,on which the presser and comb-wheel are mounted, and F thecounterbalance for said frame, all these parts being shown substantiallyas in the said Patent No. 750,453.

At the end of the table B is shown a grooved guideway G, in which thesheet-feeding apparatus U D E F is mounted so as to be adjustablelaterally of the table B.

At the forward end of the table B is shown the incline H for causing theseparation of the sheets, such as is described in the aforesaid patent,N 0. 748,279.

The parts above described all form no part of the present invention, butare all preferably used in connection therewith. The sheetfeedingapparatus of the Hallberg patent, No. 7 50,453 is particularlydesirable, for the reason that owing to the parallelogram arrangement ofsupporting-frame the comb-wheel and presser retain their operativepositions with respect to the sheets no matter what he the height of thepile above the table B.

The pile-feeder by which the continuous supply of sheets is kept up inthe preferred form is constructed as follows: K K are two supportsplaced at opposite sides of the feeding-table and extending from thefloor upwardly to the table. These supports or their equivalents are, infact, needed for the support of the feeding-table B. A pile-carryingplatform L is mounted on the supports K so as to move vertically up anddown thereon. In the construction herein shown a bracket is slidinglymounted on each support, and channel-beams 71: serve to connect thesebrackets. The pile-carrying platform proper rests on the channel-beams7: and is movable laterally thereon.

The lateral movement of the pile-carrying platform on its support is forthe purpose of adjustment in order that the pile may be slightlyadjusted with respect to the feedingtable or the feeding apparatus. As ameans for securing this lateral adjustment racks ii are shown attachedto the lower surface of the platform L, and a shaft Z5, provided withgears 71", meshing with the racks AP, is shown journaled in thechannel-beams 7:.

Vertical movement may be given to the pile-carrying platform in anydesired manner; but it should, of course, be gradual and steady andshould harmonize with the speed of the sheet-feeding apparatus. 1 haveherein illustrated for this purpose two vertical worm or screw shafts MM, one at each support K, and threaded into the respective brackets 71;.These shafts are connected at the bottom by means of bevel-gears withthe horizontal shaft M. One of the vertical shafts is shown as driven bya pawl-and-ratchet mechanism N through the medium-of bevel-gears. Thepawl-and-ratchet mechanism is shown as driven from an eccentric a, whichin turn receives its motion from any suitable mechanism in the press orother machine. The rod a, connecting the eccentric with the pawl, may beadjustable in the arm of the pawl, so as to secure variations in speed,or these variations may be secured in any other desired manner.

When it is desired to lower the pile-carrying platform, thepawl-and-ratchet mechanism N may be disconnected and the screw-shaft Moperated by hand, or a suitable connection may be made with the machinefor giving a reverse rotation to this shaft.

It is important, if not necessary, to have a guide for at least onevertical surface, and

preferably the front vertical surface, of the pile of sheets on theplatform. For this purpose I have shown a guide 0, which consists of alazy-tongs device, connected at its upper end with a fixed portion ofthe machine-as, for example, the sheet-feeding tableand at its lower endwith the movable pile-carrying platform. It will thus be seen thatwhatever be the position of the pile-carrying platform the guide 0 willpresent a vertical surface to the front edge of the pile of sheets onthe platform. v

Various devices may be used for guiding the pile of sheets, and asamodification I have shown in Figs. 6 and 7 a guiding device whichconsists of a horizontal shaft P, provided with a series of adjustablevertical guiding-bars p. This shaft may be mounted in a fixed portion ofthe machine, such as the sheet-feeding table, with the guides 19depending vertically and of a sufficient length to guide the pile. W'henit is desired to get the pile out of the way, the shaft P may be turnedby a handle 1) so as to swing the guiding-bars p up under the frame ofthe printing-press or other machine.

hen a pile of sheets is placed upon the pile-carrying platform L and thepawl-andratchet mechanism is set in motion, the pile of sheets isgradually fed upwardly, and the sheet-feeding apparatus will act to feedoff the sheets one by one to the printing or other machine. When thepile is nearly exhausted, the pile-carrying platform is of course in itsuppermost position, and in order to replenish the pile the pile-carryingplatform must be lowered and a new pile of sheets placed thereon. Iprovide means to hold the nearly-exhausted pile of sheets in position atthe sheet-feeding table while the pile-carrying platform is beinglowered, replenished, and brought into feeding position. This means isherein shown to consist of what I have termed for convenience a grid.This grid preferably comprises one or more series of bars 9* 0',connected at one end by a cross-bar r. The pile-carrying platform isgrooved or cut away at r sufiiciently to allow the bars of the grid torest therein Without protruding above the surface of the platform.

The framework of the machine preferably in about the plane of thesheet-feeding table B is provided with slots 9* and grooves 1' toreceive and sustain the grid preparatory to lowering the platform, theslots receiving the ends of the grid when being inserted in operativeposition. the ends of the grid entering the grooves. In the operation ofthis device when the pile carrying platform has reached an uppermostposition and the pile of sheets is nearly exhausted the grooves o in theplatform come in line with the slots 9* and the groove 7 in thesheet-feeding table. The grid is then slipped in, the cross-bars of thegrid passing through the slots 0", through the grooves o in theplatform, and entering the groove r in the table. Now when the platformis lowered the grid remains, forming a support for a sufiicient portionof the pile of sheets to supply the sheet-feeding apparatus until thepile-carrying platform can be replenished with a new pile of sheets andraised into position, when the grid can be withdrawn and the feeding ofthe pile continued as before. It will thus be seen that the feed of thepile of sheets is continuous, for before the pile is entirely exhaustedit is replenished at the bottom. Hence the sheet-feeding apparatus canbe run continuously, and it is unnecessary to stop the machine toreplenish the pile of sheets.

While I have shown the grid as supported by slots and a groove in thesheet-feeding table, these matters form no essential part of theinvention, forit is obvious that all that is necessary is to provide adevice which can be slipped beneath the partially-exhausted pile andhold it in position while the pile-carrying platform is lowered,replenished, and brought into position.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, means for gradually raising said platform to place andmaintain the upper end of the pile in delivery position until the pileis partially exhausted, means located between the pile and said platformand adapted to be sustained by a fixed portion of the machine,wherebythe partially-exhausted pile may be held in elevated positionWhile the said platform is withdrlawn from beneath thepartially-exhausted pi e.

2. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, means for gradually raising said platform to place andmaintain the upper end of the pile in delivery position until the pileis partially exhausted, means adapted to be placed temporarily betweenthe pile and said platform and sustained by a fixed portion of themachine, whereby the partially-exhausted pile may be held in elevatedposition while the said platform is Withdrawn from beneath thepartiallyexhausted pile.

3. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, means for gradually raising said platform to place andmaintain the upper end of the pile in delivery position until the pileis partially exhausted, means located between the pile and said platformbut below the. surface of said platform and adapted to be sustained by afixed portion of the machine, whereby the partially-exhausted pile maybe held in elevated position while the said platform is withdrawn frombeneath the partially-exhausted pi e.

4. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, means for gradually raising said platform to place andmaintain the upper end of the pile in delivery position until the pileis partially exhausted, means adapted to be placed between the pile andsaid platform but below the surface of said platform and sustained by afixed portion of the machine, whereby the partiallyexhausted pile may beheld in elevated position while the said platform is withdrawn frombeneath the partially-exhausted pile.

5. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, means adapted to he slipped beneath the partiallyexhaustedpile in its elevated position and connected with a fixed portion of themachine, whereby the platform may be withdrawn from beneath thepartially-exhausted pile.

6. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, a grid adapted to he slipped beneath the partially-exhaustedpile in its elevated position and connected with afixed part of themachine, whereby the platform may be withdrawn from beneath thepartially-exhausted pile.

7. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, a grid located between the pile and said platform, but belowthe surface of said platform, and adapted to be connected with a fixedpart of the machine,whereby the platform may be withdrawn from beneaththe partially-exhausted pile.

8. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, longitudinal grooves in the upper surface of the saidplatform, bars adapted to he slipped in the said grooves beneath thepartially-exhausted pile in its elevated position and connected with afixed portion of the machine, whereby when the platform is withdrawnfrom beneath the partially-exhausted pile the said pile will besupported by the bars.

9. A sheet-pile feeder comprising a vertically-movable pile-carryingplatform, longitudinal grooves in the upper surface of the saidplatform, bars connected to form a grid and adapted to be slipped in thesaid grooves beneath thepartially-exhausted pile in its ele vatedposition and connected with a fixed por tion of the machine, wherebywhen the platform is withdrawn from beneath the partiallyexhausted pilethe said pile will be supported by the grid.

10. Ashect-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement tothe pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheetsin feeding position above the sheet-feeding table While thepile-carryingplatform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhaustedpile.

-lOO

11. A sheet-feeding table, a sheetpile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement to the pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheetsin feeding position above the sh eet-feeding table while thepile-carrying platform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhaustedpile, and a sheet-feeding apparatus located on the sheetfeeding tableand resting upon the pile of sheets.

12. Asheet-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement to the pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheetsin feeding position above the sheet-feeding table while thepile-carrying platform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhaustedpile, and a sheet-feeding apparatus located on the sh eetfeeding tableand resting on and supported by the pile of sheets.

13. A sheet-feeding table, a sheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement to the pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means removably connected with the sheet-feedingtable and adapted to hold the partially-exhausted pile of sheets infeeding position above the sheet-feeding table while the pilecarryingplatform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhausted pile.

14L. Asheet-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement to the pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheetsin feeding position above the sheet-feeding table while thepile-carrying platform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhaustedpile, and a guide for the forward edge of the pile of sheets.

15. A sheet-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement to the pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheetsin feeding position above the sheet-feeding table while thepile-carrying platform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhaustedpile, and

aaamarlinllluaua...

a collapsible guide for the front edge of the pile of sheets.

16. A sheet-feeding table, a sheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forgiving vertical movement to the pile-carrying platform, an aperture inthe sheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheetsupward therethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheetsin feeding position above the sheet-feeding table while thepile-carrying platform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhaustedpile, and a collapsible guide for the front edge of the pile of sheetsconnected at its upper end to the frame of the machine and at its lowerend to the pile-carrying platform.

17. Asheet-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile carrying platform, means forlaterally adjusting said pile-carrying platform, an aperture in thesheet-feeding table to allow of the passage of a pile of sheets upwardtherethrough, means to hold a partially-exhausted pile of sheets infeeding position above the sheet-feeding table while the pile-carryingplatform is withdrawn from beneath the partially-exhausted pile.

18. Asheet-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath the saidsheet-feeding table and comprising a pile-carrying platform providedwith grooves therein, means for giving vertical movement to thepile-carrying platform, an aperture in the sheet-feeding table to allowof the passage of a pile of sheets upward therethrough, bars adapted tobe slipped within the said grooves in the pile-carrying platform andremovably connected to the sheet-feeding table in order to hold thepartially-exhausted pile of sheets in feeding position above thesheet-feeding table while the pile-carrying platform is withdrawn frombeneath the partially-exhausted pile.

19. A sheet-feeding table, asheet-pile feeder located beneath thesheet-feeding table and comprising a sheet-carrying platform in itsupper surface, means for giving vertical movement to the pile-carryingplatform, an aperture in the sheet-feeding table to allow of the passageof a pile of sheets upward therethrough, a grid comprising a series ofconnected bars adapted to be slipped into the grooves in thepile-carrying platform and to be connected with the sheet-feeding table,whereby the partially-exhausted pile of sheets may be held in feedingposition above the sheet-feeding table while the pile-carrying platformis withdrawn from beneath.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNHARD GUSTAFSON.

\Vitnesses:

CARL P. GERELL, ERNST HALLBERG.

